Disclaimer: The Herald Anime Club discusses shows as they’re airing. Naturally, there will be spoilers for a given episode. You have been warned!

Mike Ferreira: Good evening, everybody and welcome to the Herald Anime Club. I’m Mike Ferreira, and I’m joined by Anthony Simpson:, L.B. Bryant, and Lydia Rivers.L.B. Bryant: Ello!Lydia Rivers: Hiii everyone!Anthony Simpson: Evening everyone.Mike Ferreira: Tonight, we’re back after a short break, to discuss Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid,. This week we’re talking up Episodes 7 (Beach time fun?) and 8 (A new dragon appears!)Lydia Rivers: Kanna eating anything that looks like a bug, take 4578!Anthony Simpson: Episode 7 was….interesting.Mike Ferreira: Episode 7 was… well… it had me asking “Why?” a lotAnthony Simpson: I want a spin off of Kanna just eat stuff for 30 minutes.L.B. Bryant: I’ll be honest; I remember enjoying the episode but I remember very few details about it at this point.Mike Ferreira: It was a cute episode overall – the parts with Kanna eating stuff, and the dragon family just being themselves were genuinely delightfulAnthony Simpson: Lucoa keeps failing to understand how things like laws work.Mike Ferreira: I’m kind of glad even the people in-world were just “Nope! None of that shit here.” Kind of adds to the absurdity.

L.B. Bryant: Ah yes, the Comiket episode. Now it’s all flooding back.Lydia Rivers: Some of that “why” was answered in the title, which indicated it was the beach fanservice episode. What I want to know “why” is why a very specific kind of fan service…Mike Ferreira: Yeah… they really do keep it up with the Shotacon, don’t they?Anthony Simpson: The Comiket stuff was my favorite stuff of the episode.Lydia Rivers: And some of it carried over from episode 6…I was really hoping we’d just forget about it and pretend it never happened. “Whelp that was a mistake.” and move on…Mike Ferreira: Definitely… but it seems like it’s just par for the course now, even if we get these creepily detailed shots of a little boy’s back as she oils him up.Anthony Simpson: The anime isn’t adapting the manga in order. They are jumping around quite of bit with the story. If I remember correctly the Lucoa and Shota stuff at the beach isn’t the manga

Lydia Rivers: The detailed shots isn’t what makes it creepy, it’s the molest-y framing. But yes!L.B. Bryant: Alright, let’s just have our debate about this now. The shotacon humor in eps 7 and 8 didn’t really bother me overall. It got a little tiresome in episode 8 when it was being used as asides in between elements of the primary story but once it got to the punchline in the final seconds, I admit that I laughed.Mike Ferreira: Honestly, episode 8 I didn’t mind as much because it was literally just stupid shit you’d see 10-20 years ago. A one-off sight gag.Lydia Rivers: I can’t see the humor in child abuse ever. I couldn’t 20 years ago and I can’t now. There are so many other fan services to go down that don’t involve children. There is no excuse for it, even if you say “I want to have a sexy show!”Lydia Rivers: “I want to appeal to lots of people’s pants!”Lydia Rivers: Go for it. Just…WHYYYYYY the kids?Anthony Simpson: Shotacon by itself doesn’t bother me at all. I wasn’t crazy with this here because Shota clearly doesn’t WANT this. Its scaring him.

Mike Ferreira: That’s what bugged me about episode 7 – they literally framed it as “this is unwanted sexual aggression”Lydia Rivers: “Well Lydia, that’s a fantasy for a lot of people. Getting worked up by hot older chicks.” Ok, but it doesn’t show an ADULT having that fantasy. It shows a CHILD trying to escape and during dream sequences, dreaming it’s a teddy bear.Lydia Rivers: Exactly Mike.L.B. Bryant: I didn’t laugh as much at the sequences in episode 7, but I wasn’t actually bothered by them.L.B. Bryant: I see the points you’re making though.Lydia Rivers: Thanks LB. We all have our things I guess, and this is one thing I’ll never, ever let slide no matter where I see it, nor in whatever context.Mike Ferreira: I think in this case, it becomes particularly awful because the show is just an adorable, light-hearted slice of life show. Introducing the shota stuff just makes the experience uncomfortable.Lydia Rivers: I want to love this show so much, but it’s very difficult getting adorb’d back into the story and then trucked by “haha lookit the busty predator!” moments.Lydia Rivers: I don’t have a problem feeling uncomfortable. What makes me uncomfortable is that the show is totally comfortable with this shit I think.Anthony Simpson: I wonder how much of this adding the stuff in has to do with the jumping around of the stories.Mike Ferreira: That’s what I’m getting at.Mike Ferreira: Indeed.Anthony Simpson: Like, looking at the picture of the chapters being adapted, manga-wise the beach chapter was before the stuff at the end of episode 6.Anthony Simpson: I meant the Lucoa stuff. The last parts of episode 6 were anime original.Lydia Rivers: Anthony you think it was an obscenely stupid editing choice in other words to fill gaps?Lydia Rivers: Well…”obscenely stupid” would be my words hahaAnthony Simpson: I wouldn’t say stupid.Lydia Rivers: “Hm, what do we do here, we don’t have a lot of time left for Lucoa!” “Make her a child molestor ex goddess turned succubus punchline…thing~! If we make her jiggle and wiggle a lot people won’t complain!” “Ok!”Lydia Rivers: Sounds stupid to me!Mike Ferreira: It’s not a bright choice… and it’s a shame, because the rest of the episode – Kanna being Kanna, the whole Comiket story, they were just fantastic as always. It does put a damper on things.L.B. Bryant: It’s not the greatest aspect of the series, but “stupid” is overly harsh, IMO.

Anthony Simpson: Here is what I think. With any adaptation from one type of medium to another there are going to be changes made. These changes can from simple to make something work better in the said medium. Or the changes can be more advanced and include stuff that wasn’t in other areas.Lydia Rivers: There’s nothing smart about making jokes out of child predation. Or intelligent, or witty. Let’s call it what it is please.Anthony Simpson: Since they aren’t adapting this in order my guess is that they added the Lucoa stuff in so she is there.L.B. Bryant: No. We can agree to disagree but I’ve stated my thoughts and stand by them.Lydia Rivers: And with the clever-with-a-touch-of-silly that the rest of the show is concerning relationships with other beings, it’s quite jarring even if it isn’t offensive.L.B. Bryant: Jarring I can handle.Anthony Simpson: Now is that good or bad? Well that’s a matter of opinion on the viewer.Lydia Rivers: If you don’t think child molesting is bad, as a matter of opinion?Anthony Simpson: It is bad.Lydia Rivers: Well that was a rhetorical question obviously.Lydia Rivers: Here at Anime Herald, we’re not afraid to take our corners hehe! Shall we move along?Mike Ferreira: Hehe.. Was just gonna send out the “We need to keep rolling” warningMike Ferreira: So good timing!Anthony Simpson: The Comiket part of episode 7 was my favorite.Lydia Rivers: Kanna finding snacks in nature was my favorite!

Mike Ferreira: I loved the Comiket part – especially when they used it to show how the non-humans can walk free during the showAnthony Simpson: Creatures from other realms can be themselves and people from all around for their love of smut.Anthony Simpson: I see Kanna eating the cicada all day long and I would be happy.Mike Ferreira: The love of sexy doujinshi crosses all realms and species. Or something.Anthony Simpson: Its the love of smut. It brings everyone together.Anthony Simpson: I felt bad for Fafnir not selling out his doujin.Mike Ferreira: Well… “doujin”Mike Ferreira: Those were real curses

Lydia Rivers: Fafnir will try again! I love how his pride collides with his determination (lol)Mike Ferreira: Definitely. Fafnir continues to just make me smileL.B. Bryant: When I show this series to my wife, I’m going to use Fafnir as one of the selling points. :)Mike Ferreira: “Kill them all!” is still the best opening lineLydia Rivers: Agreed, I think she’ll like it.

L.B. Bryant: On a lighter note, I laughed pretty hard at Elma being bought off with food. I felt her pain since there isn’t an incredibly long list of non-painful/harmful things I wouldn’t do for a platter of halfway decent gyoza.Anthony Simpson: Elma is great.Mike Ferreira: I also am loving Elma – she’s a fun character.Anthony Simpson: The cooking contest between Tohru and Miss Kobayashi was such a treat.L.B. Bryant: Yeah, I’m looking forward to watching this series again with her after it’s completely dubbed.Lydia Rivers: Do you all have favorite characters yet? Mine is definitely Kobayashi, but I think I’m biased because she reminds me strongly of an IRL friend.L.B. Bryant: I can’t pick a favorite from this series.L.B. Bryant: They’re all so fun to me. If I HAD to pick one, it’d probably be Tohru.Mike Ferreira: Hrm… mine has to be either Fafnir or Tohru. Kobayashi hits too close to home for me.Anthony Simpson: I see a bit of my self in Kobayashi, but Kanna easily my favorite.Mike Ferreira: Elma’s growing on me, though.

Anthony Simpson: I need to see more of Elma. I like what I see so far.L.B. Bryant: Elma is fun so far. I’m curious where they are going to go with her in the final third of the series.Mike Ferreira: Likewise.Mike Ferreira: I wonder how they’ll end it – will they go anime-original, or leave it open ended?L.B. Bryant: I’m guessing open endedLydia Rivers: That’d be nice, as they’ve apparently proven they can’t handle anime original with this team. :pMike Ferreira: Good point.Anthony Simpson: I’m going to agree with open ended.Anthony Simpson: The manga isn’t finished yet and they still have a lot they can adapt yet.L.B. Bryant: I can safely say that I want a second season of this series.Mike Ferreira: True. We could see this get a second cour if the Blu-Rays sell wellLydia Rivers: Good to know! And I would like a second season as well, minus the shotacon.Anthony Simpson: I wouldn’t be opposed to a second season, but since we only have five manga volumes out either you end with a second season that is mostly anime original or you end with something ala Drifters and get a sequel in 20xx.Anthony Simpson: If they do a spin off of Kanna just eating stuff for 13 episodes it will be GOAT.

Lydia Rivers: I’m always content to wait for quality entertainment. Yes, I would love that! Or even just 3 minute shorts!Mike Ferreira: See, I wouldn’t mind that. Do what Show By Rock did – fill the void with cute little bits.Anthony Simpson: That could be done.Mike Ferreira: 3 minute episodes that have stuff like Kanna eating stuff, or Kobayashi and Tohru doing their thing.Mike Ferreira: Then go with a full show when there’s enough materialLydia Rivers: Or more bits of Fafnir getting pissed off at the internetMike Ferreira: Yes!Anthony Simpson: But 30 minutes of Kanna eating each week. I would be die of adorableness. I don’t think my heart could bear that much cuteness.Mike Ferreira: Or Fafnir playing Dark SoulsMike Ferreira: So, we seem to have hit the natural end of this discussion – any final thoughts?L.B. Bryant: Tohru x Kobayashi 4evurAnthony Simpson: More Kanna eating stuff please.Lydia Rivers: More situations like the cooking battle where genius and common sense get pitted against each other please!Lydia Rivers: With the adorbs backdrop of people who are close enough to be happy to see the antagonistic side of someone instead of being put off by itMike Ferreira: I want more of those neighborsMike Ferreira: I want to know what that cooking lady was dongMike Ferreira: ‘-‘Lydia Rivers: If you’ve ever made bread crumbs with a rolling pin you’d knowMike Ferreira: Fair enough!Lydia Rivers: it’s a great way to work off angst (lol)Lydia Rivers: and also annoy the neighborsMike Ferreira: HeheheMike Ferreira: Fair enough! Til next time, everyone, have a great night!L.B. Bryant: Nighters!Anthony Simpson: Night everyone.Lydia Rivers: Stay shiny!

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Comments

Actually I’m going to argue about the “team can’t handle anime original”. With episode 9, the anime looks to be cutting out a significant character that was introduced in the manga then. Those who have read the manga have remarked that doing so is a big improvement, as while the character does have a neat little character arc, her actual design is a lot more “eh”. As in otaku-pandering “eh”.

I’m not arguing the Lucoa/Shouta as not being creepy; I feel they’re the weakest link in the entire show, and it’s something that was a hold over from the manga, which is pretty much opposite in tone compared to the anime. Where the anime is about family with comedy, the manga focuses more on comedy with some family bits, and said cut-out character is the source of some of the more creepy bits.

KyoAni’s been jumping around in order to “theme” the episodes, making them a lot more coherent. You’d actually be surprised at the number of anime-original scenes, and a lot of them are more on the character interaction side, such as Tohru and Kobayashi’s talk in Elma’s debut episode.

As such, while I wholeheartedly agree that the Lucoa/Shouta scenes are *not good*, I will say that I trust KoyAni, if they deliver an anime-original ending, to have it do justice to the show they’re making.